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A serious misdemeanor is a crime more serious than a felony but less severe than a felony. Punishments include fines, prison time, and community service. Repeat offenders face harsher penalties. A petty crime attorney can help with settlements and finding flaws in cases. A summons is issued for court appearances, and failure to appear may result in a subpoena.
A serious misdemeanor is a crime that is considered more serious than a felony, but not at the level of a felony. Examples of serious crimes vary, depending on regional laws, but can include things like drunk driving, certain types of assault, and petty theft. Some regions also have another classification of crimes, petty crimes, for minor offenses that can carry fines, but not prison time, such as traffic offences.
The punishment for a serious crime can vary. Generally people cannot be sentenced to more than one year in prison and may be subject to fines in addition to or in lieu of prison time. Community service can also be considered as a punitive option for someone who has committed a serious crime. Judges generally decide on the sentence with the assistance of sentencing guidelines established by the legislature to indicate how people should be punished for various crimes.
Unlike a felony, a felony does not create a black mark on someone’s criminal record that could become an obstacle to employment and other things. However, the increased severity of the crime results in harsher penalties. Additionally, people who repeatedly commit serious crimes may be subject to additional penalties. For example, the first offense of drunk driving can be punished with temporary license suspension, fines and jail time, but a repeat offender could lose his or her license and face further penalties.
A petty crime attorney who specializes in helping people who have been accused of these types of offenses can sometimes be useful to consult, for someone who is facing trial and punishment for a serious crime. The attorney may be able to work out a settlement such as a lighter sentence with credit for time served. Lawyers can also look for flaws in the case which can be used to get the case dismissed out of court, although this is not necessarily guaranteed.
When someone is arrested or held for a serious crime, a summons is usually included on the paperwork, indicating when the individual should appear in court. For those who spend time in jail, such as drunk drivers taken to jail by the police, the citation will be handed over with the release paperwork. If someone is not sure when to appear in court, a court official may be called and asked to check the record to see when the case is scheduled. Failure to appear in court may result in the issuance of a subpoena.
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